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Post by Deleted on Apr 15, 2007 16:24:11 GMT
Sorry I always seem to be asking questions.........I am enthusiastic . I have apple and pear trees panted for 10 years but they were wrecked by hares. I now have my area closed off some what, so I want to start again. What group of apple trees eating and cooking can I plant that will guarantee that I will have something to eat a.s.a.p. In the 10 years of trying I only ever got a handful of fruit.At one point Istuck plastic fruit on the branches :well I was desperate.ha,ha
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TeeGee
Assistant Gardener
Gardening adds years to your life and life to your years.
Posts: 218
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Post by TeeGee on Apr 15, 2007 19:13:22 GMT
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Post by oldmoleskins on Apr 15, 2007 19:25:10 GMT
hi Robin - and asking questions (and attempting to answer them) is the lifeblood of GWD, so ask away...
The good news is that having sorted the hare problem, I would have thought you can pretty well choose any variety (probably on a 'modern' dwarfing rootstock of some sort to keep it manageable) that you fancy. As a start, have a look at specialist fuit grower Ken Muir (www.kenmuir.co.uk) because they have always impressed with their helpfulness... which brings me to the important 'rider':
Over there in the far west there wil be varieties that do better than others - it's only natural.
Ask Muir, ask around locally, I'm sure there will be apples and pears that will do well for you - and with any luck, they'll coincide with your first choices - but it will be better to 'go with the flow' to ensure cropping in the early years.
Let us know what conclusions you come to! OM.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 15, 2007 19:30:25 GMT
Thanks OMS and TeeGee,off I go to the garden center again..........yippie.
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Post by MamIDdau on Apr 21, 2007 11:53:33 GMT
Now that I've planted my Braeburn and the other unidentified fruit tree (hopefully something I like eating) into pots, can I put flowers in the pot too to make the soil around the base of the trunk look more interesting?
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Post by oldmoleskins on Apr 21, 2007 19:52:36 GMT
Well, Aprilaydee... just be aware that in an ideal 'orchard' situation, you'd keep a circle about 1m dia around a tree clear of any other vegetation to avoid competition - so a) make sure it's watered well, and b) maybe feed it a bit.
It'll soon let you know - the fruit they're setting right now (I assume you've got some blossom) should develop into Braeburns and er, something... so that's the 'end game'.
As ever in gardening, there's rarely absolutes, there's only joyous experimentation...
OM.
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Post by MamIDdau on Apr 21, 2007 20:10:18 GMT
well the braeburn has nothing on it at the moment (it was in a bad way) but the other fruit tree has blossom. I just don't know what it's blossoming into!
There's an orchard at the back of us (well, a mini one) so pollination shouldn't be a problem.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 21, 2007 22:38:48 GMT
I've got four cordons (dessert) but only one has flowered thus far, they flower in sequence and crop in sequence...so your's may be the same Aprilaydee.
I'm still trying to get my hands on an Annie Elizabeth (cooker) but no luck yet.
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Post by oldmoleskins on Apr 22, 2007 7:19:46 GMT
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Post by MamIDdau on Apr 22, 2007 9:53:47 GMT
Oh right. I just thought it might be a little bit buggered cos most of the roots hadn't been in compost LOL It's got bud type things starting to form on it so <crosses everything including eyes>
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Post by Deleted on Apr 22, 2007 11:50:06 GMT
Thanks OM will check out that site. Can't take credit for the cropping in succession asked the fruit Nursery for advice and they suggested it to me. I found them very helpful about such things and they gave me a list of suggestions for my soil type, climate etc. I was most impressed.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 22, 2007 15:55:25 GMT
My conference pear had blossoms until the wind came will they still bear fruit?
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Post by Deleted on Apr 23, 2007 20:44:30 GMT
Everyone seems to be sold out of Annie Elizabeth apple trees. Ach well on my wish list for next year. Robin depends on whether they have been pollinated...i notice that my Almenchier has lost it's blossom but usually it only drops easily when no longer required.
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